Acuff, Thomas Power Razorbacks Past Oklahoma in Nail-Biter
NORMAN, Okla. - In a game that had all the makings of a March classic, Arkansas leaned on its talented freshmen and a gritty interior attack to pull off a hard-fought 83-79 win over Oklahoma at the Lloyd Noble Center on Tuesday night.
It was a back-and-forth affair that wasn’t decided until the final seconds, and when the dust settled, it was the Razorbacks’ young backcourt that stole the spotlight. Daius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas combined for 24 second-half points, with Acuff delivering a performance that showed poise well beyond his years. The freshman floor general finished with 21 points and 10 assists, notching his fourth double-double of the season - and perhaps his most impactful yet.
With 1:27 left on the clock, it looked like Oklahoma might escape with a win after Nigel Pack buried a deep three to give the Sooners a 79-77 lead. But Acuff didn’t flinch.
He calmly drew a foul on the next possession and hit one of two at the line to cut the deficit to one. Then came the defining moment: after securing a defensive rebound, Acuff went coast-to-coast, absorbed contact, and converted a three-point play to put Arkansas up 81-79 with just 20 seconds remaining.
On Oklahoma’s next possession, Trevon Brazile came up huge with a block, and Thomas - who scored 16 points on the night - grabbed the rebound, hit two clutch free throws, and sealed the deal.
This one wasn’t about lights-out perimeter shooting - far from it. Arkansas, which came into the night leading the SEC in three-point percentage, went just 2-of-17 from deep.
But they dominated the paint, outscoring Oklahoma 56-30 inside and shooting a scorching 71.7% on two-point attempts. That mark ranks as the sixth-best in program history, a testament to their aggressive, downhill approach and ability to finish through contact.
Defensively, the Razorbacks made key adjustments after Oklahoma’s hot start from beyond the arc. The Sooners hit 7-of-16 threes in the first half but were held to just 3-of-11 in the second. That defensive tightening helped Arkansas weather several Oklahoma runs and ultimately take control in the closing minutes.
Beyond the stars, Arkansas got meaningful contributions up and down the roster. Malique Ewin added 12 points off the bench, while Karter Knox chipped in 11. Brazile turned in a well-rounded stat line with seven points, seven boards, four assists, and two blocks - none bigger than the swat that set up Thomas’s game-sealing free throws.
For Oklahoma, Pack was electric. The veteran guard hit 6-of-11 from deep and finished with a game-high 22 points, including 16 in the first half. Mohamed Wague was a force on the glass, grabbing 12 rebounds, six of them on the offensive end.
First Half: Razorbacks Weather the Storm
The game started with Oklahoma landing the early punches. The Sooners built a 13-point lead midway through the first half, fueled by hot shooting from distance - they hit 5-of-9 threes out of the gate - and controlled the glass early. At one point, they led 38-25 with 7:24 to go before Arkansas started to chip away.
The Razorbacks responded with a 7-0 run, but Pack answered with back-to-back triples to stretch the lead back to 10. Arkansas refused to fold, though, and closed the half strong with a 6-0 burst. A buzzer-beater by Xzayvier Brown gave Oklahoma a 48-44 edge at the break.
Despite trailing, Arkansas shot 61.3% from the field in the first half, though their struggles from deep (1-of-7) kept them from taking the lead. Acuff led the way with 11 points and six assists before halftime, while Pack paced the Sooners with 16 first-half points.
Second Half: Freshmen Take Over
The second half turned into a slugfest, featuring five ties and 11 lead changes. Arkansas took its first lead since early in the game when Acuff knocked down a jumper with 17:40 left, putting the Razorbacks ahead 51-50.
Oklahoma continued to battle. Pack hit another three with just over seven minutes to play to give the Sooners a 68-65 advantage, and they led again 70-67 shortly after.
But Arkansas kept coming. Billy Richmond III and Thomas combined for a quick 4-0 run to reclaim the lead, and the teams traded punches from there.
With the game on the line, it was Acuff and Thomas who stepped up, combining for 24 of Arkansas’s 39 second-half points. Thomas poured in 14 after the break, while Acuff added 10 more, including the game’s biggest bucket.
Arkansas shot 50% in the second half and held Oklahoma to 36%, while also winning the rebounding battle 17-16 over the final 20 minutes.
Tae David led the Sooners with 10 second-half points, but Oklahoma couldn’t find enough offense late to keep pace.
Game Notes and Numbers:
- Arkansas started Darius Acuff Jr., Meleek Thomas, Karter Knox, Trevon Brazile, and Nick Pringle.
- Mohamed Wague scored the game’s first basket for Oklahoma, while Brazile got the Hogs on the board early.
- Acuff’s 10-assist, zero-turnover night marked his third such performance this season - a rare feat for any point guard, let alone a freshman.
- Meleek Thomas saw his streak of 20 consecutive games with a made three-pointer come to an end, finishing 0-of-4 from deep.
- With this win, Arkansas now leads the all-time series 18-15. However, Oklahoma still holds an 8-4 edge in games played in Norman.
- This was the first meeting between the two programs in Norman since 2011.
Up Next:
Arkansas returns home to Bud Walton Arena for a marquee matchup against Kentucky on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
CT on ESPN. With momentum building and their young stars growing up fast, the Razorbacks are starting to look like a team no one wants to face come March.